Boiler-feed mechanism



m m, 1923. 146L683 D. c. sEARs 51" AL BOILER FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov.13 1920 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jrmfly M1), 1923. 1.461.683

D. C. SEARS ET AL BOILER FEED- MEGHANISM Filed Nov. 15, 1920 2Sheefs-Sheet 2 eaaaaa any re, ieaa nae.

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Appltoafion filed It'ovember 513, in. Serial No. 423,788.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that DAVID E. Snare and Ana M. Baum-pan, citizens of theUmted States of America, residing at Altus, in

a the county of Jackson and State of Oklahoma, and Clovis in the countyof Curry and State of New Mexico, respectively, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Boiler-Feed Mechanism, of which the fol- 1olowing is a specification.

The object of the invention 1s to provide relatively simple automaticmeans for controlling the supply of water to a steam boiler to maintainan approximately um- 15 form level therein, and incidentally to providemeans for giving an alarm or'signal as a notification to the attendantin the event of a failure of the automatic feeding mechanism to properlyfunction in the sup- 20 ply of water to the boiler when thelevel fallsbelow a predetermined plane; and with these objects in view theinvention consists in the construction and combination of parts of whicha preferred embodiment is shown in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a feed water mechanism embodying theinvention.

Fire 2 is a detail enlarged sect1on of the feed water valve.

Figure 3 is a similarview of the water col connections.

In connection with a boiler there are arranged the steam and waterpipesli and 12 provided respectively with manually operable controllingvalves 13 and let, the steam pipe being in communication with the upperend of the casing 15 of a water column and the water pipe being incommunication with the lower end of said casing so as to insure undernormal conditions the maintenance in the water column of a water levelcorresponding with that in the boiler. The water column may be providedwith the usual water gauge 16, although if the water column casing is oftransparent material or is provided with a transparent panel, it isobvious that the separate water gauge may be omitted. The casing of thewater column is also provided with the usual gauge cocks 17, 18 and 19while in communication with the steam pipe there may be a branch 20leading to a steam gauge not shown) as in the ordinary prac tice. hewater pipe 12 is preferabl branched as at 21 for communication wit thebottom of the casing of the water column and at 22 for communicationwith the pump indicated at 23, a suitable manually operable, cut-ofi"valve 24 being arranged in the branch 22, together with a check valve25, as ordinarily found desirable, while interposed in the branch 22,betweenthe pump and the feed water pipe 12 is arranged a T 26 forming acasin or housing for a feed water valve 27 of W ich the stem 28 isconnected by a rod 29 with a float 30 located in the water column, tothe end that when the float is depressed by the fall of water in theboiler and the casing of the column the feed valve 27 is opened topermit of the pamage of water from the pump to the boiler and the watercolumn. The branch pipes 21 and 22 which are in communication with thefeed water pipe 12 are preferably arranged in alignment, to the end thatthe straight valve operating rod 29 may be employed to extend from thefloat to the stem of the feed water valve, as shown in the drawing, andas the valve and the rod are thus enclosed throughout in the feed waterconductor, they are not exposed to any friction or resistant pressuretending to obstruct the free movement thereof under the influence of thefloat.

Extending from the upper or steam compartment of the water column is analarm tube 31 terminating for example in a whistle 32 and having amanually operable cut-oil valve 33, a controlling valve 34: beingarranged in said tube and having its stem 35 provided with a rocker arm36 connected by a link 37 with the float to the end that when the floatdrops below a predetermined level the valve 34 will be opened to permitthe escape of steam through the alarm tube to sound the whistle or othersignalling device to warn the engineer or attendant that the mechanismrequires attention. The link 37 however, preferably has a slotconnection with the cross arm 36 so that the limited movement of thefloat sufiicient to cause the opening of the feed valve 27 to allow feedwater to pass to the boiler may occur without opening the whistlecontrolling valve 34 and thus sounding the alarm to the end that if themechanism is functioning properly the supply of water necessary tomaintain a practically uniform level in the boiler will be furnishedwithout giving the alarm. But should the W3 feed water mechanism fail tofunction roperl the continued depression of the oat Wlll cause theactuation of the cross arm 36 and hence the opening of the alarm.

valve to afford a warning in time to enable the engineer or attendant toapply the necessary remedy before serious injury to the boiler orrelated mechanism can result by reason of the falling of the level ofthe water below a safe limit.

It will be noted that by the arrangement indicated a single waterconnection with the boiler adapted to afford communication both with thewater column'and with the pump is sufficient, and in addition theretothe described arrangement avoids the use of stufling boxes or packingboxes for the connections between the float and the feed valve, with theattendant advantages in the matter of minimizing friction and resistanceas above indicated.

Having described the invention, we claim:

1. A feed water system for boilers having a water column consisting of acasing enclosing a float and in communication at its upper and lowerends with the boiler by means of steam and feed water pipes of which thelatter is in communication with a water supply pump, a float controlledfeed water valve interposed in said feed water pipe between the boilerand the feed water pump, and an alarm mechanism having a pressurecontrolling valve in communication with the upper end of the watercolumn casing and operatively connected with the float, said valvehaving its stem provided with a cross arm and a link con: necting thecross arm with the float.

2. A feed water system for boilers having a water column consisting of acasing enclosing a float and in communication at its upper and lowerends with the boiler by means of steam and feed water pipes of which thelatter is in communication with a water supply pump, a float controlledfeed water valve interposed in said feed water pipe between the boilerand the feed water pump, and an alarm mechanism having a pressurecontrolling valve in communication with the upper end of the watercolumn casing and operatively connected with the float, said pressurevalve having its stem provided with a cross arm, and the float having aslotted link in engagement with the cross arm for permitting a limitedmovement of the float independently of the cross arm.

In testimony whereof they aflix their signatures.

DAVID C. SEARS. ARTHUR M. BRADFORD.

